ABSTRACT
Rhythmanalysis provides a substantial perspective to study public space; however, there has been an ongoing quest for methodological frameworks to conduct rhythmanalysis. This chapter proposes ‘spectral analysis’ as a coherent method to represent and communicate the rhythms of public spaces through its tools for critical observation based on visual documentation and interpretation of a ‘spectrum of rhythms’. The method is applied to Esat Marketplace in Ankara, Turkey, focusing especially on its recent spatial transformation in 2018. The analysis revealed that the interplay between diverse rhythmic agents in the marketplace produces a complex polyrhythmic ensemble of regular and emergent rhythms. The human and non-human rhythmic agents, their types of presence, intensity and tempo of their rhythms necessitate different spatial and temporal ‘negotiations’ and ‘conflicts’. In return, these ‘negotiations’ and ‘conflicts’ expose critical insights for the future spatial design processes for marketplaces.
